Suspect Convictions

The burning corpse of a 9-year old girl was found on a school playground in Davenport, Iowa, September 17, 1990.
Within days of the discovery of Jennifer Lewis’ charred body, police arrested Stanley Liggins, an African American who had just been released from prison. An Iowa jury convicted him and after 26-years behind bars, an appellate court has granted him a new trial.
The court’s decision was prompted by allegations of hidden evidence and potential police misconduct. Liggins will stand trial in May 2017. And once again, the question will be asked: Who killed Jennifer Lewis?
Veteran journalist Scott Reeder, who was at the crime scene the night Jennifer was killed, has conducted a massive investigation examining evidence in the case, interviewing witnesses and exploring the lives of both the victim and the accused. Troubling new developments have been uncovered. Reeder teamed with the NPR affiliate, WVIK, to produce this podcast: “Suspect Convictions.”

A month before Jennifer Lewis was killed, Stanley Liggins was arrested for sexually abusing another 9-year-old girl. This victim, now in her 30s, shares a chilling story of what happened to her that terrible day. Lawyers debate whether this prior bad act should be used in the upcoming murder trial. And a mother provides testimony about what she says Liggins told her.